The Tigers beat the AL wild card Astros and next face the Guardians

HOUSTON – Andy Ibanez hit a tiebreaking four-run double in Detroit's eighth inning and the Tigers defeated the Houston Astros with a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series on Wednesday.

Parker Meadows scored as Detroit ended Houston's streak of seven consecutive appearances in the AL Championship Series. It was a sweet moment for Tigers manager AJ Hinch, who led Houston to the championship in 2017 and was fired after the Astros' sign-stealing scandal.

The Tigers began Wednesday 1-22 in the postseason since 2000 when trailing in the eighth inning or later. Ibanez became the first player in Tigers history to record a pinch hit and a go-ahead hit in the postseason.

“We did this all year and he was really ready,” Hinch said of Ibanez.

It was Detroit's first postseason series win since the 2013 AL Division Series, which they won in five games against the Athletics.

Next up for the wildcard Tigers is a trip to Cleveland to face the AL Central champions in a best-of-five AL Division Series. Game 1 is on Saturday.

Kerry Carpenter sparked Detroit's rally in the eighth inning with a one-out single off Ryan Pressly (0-1), who converted his first 14 save opportunities of the season. Carpenter moved to third on a single by Matt Vierling and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

Pressly walked after Colt Keith reached with a two-out walk, and closer Josh Hader walked Spencer Torkelson to load the bases.

Hinch then sent Ibáñez upfield to score for Zach McKinstry, and Ibanez drilled a 1-2 sinker into the left corner for a 5-2 lead.

Hader, who signed a five-year, $95 million contract with Houston in January, allowed three hits and walked two in 1 1/3 innings.

It was the first time the Astros were defeated in a postseason series since the 2005 World Series against the White Sox, a streak of 21 straight postseason series. This also ended a seven-season streak in the LCS, the second-longest streak since the round began in 1969.

Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.